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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23490877">Double Edged Mentor</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartOfIris/pseuds/HeartOfIris'>HeartOfIris</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Lila's being Lila, Manipulative Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, the man's trying to make Marinette his new heir in design</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:21:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,913</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23490877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartOfIris/pseuds/HeartOfIris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“What is it this time, Nathalie?”<br/>“It’s from Dracaena’s School for the Gifted.”<br/>“Another Seminar?”<br/>“No, it’s asking for your recommendation for a possible transfer.”</p><p>When Gabriel gets called to recommend Marinette for a new school, he realizes this is an ideal opportunity to have the budding designer under his wing for his company's future.<br/>And if he somehow get's an akuma out of it, that's a bonus in his eyes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Double Edged Mentor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*Looks at the drafts for my Kagami Marinette friendship AU*<br/>*Looks at the drafts for the sequel for Blog It Yourself*<br/>Yup, totally time to make a new, multi-chapter fanfiction focused on Gabriel deciding to make Marinette his apprentice. Totally the best time.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Gabriel Agreste has most things in his life planned in advance. Even when something might go off field, he does what’s needed to get back on track. However, that doesn’t mean he can adjust on the fly if something happens that he can’t brute fix. Son didn’t inherit your designing skills to ensure he can take over? Train him in modeling so he can still be involved enough to take over. Wife falls into a coma? Turn to getting her back with ancient magic so she’s back and complete your family again. He can easily adjust to a change in his life.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">So when Nathalie comes to him one Saturday with an email from a school asking for his comments on something, he’s prepared to answer another useless seminar recommendation.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“What is it this time, Nathalie?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“It’s from Dracaena’s School for the Gifted.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Another Seminar?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“No, it’s asking for your recommendation for a possible transfer.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Now that’s interesting. </span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“My recommendation on a transfer?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Yes,” she replied, her tone still even, “it’s Miss Dupain-Cheng. The school saw she had work presented by you and wished to hear your opinion on her.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The fashion mogul leaned into his seat as he thought on it. Miss Dupain-Cheng was in fact a marvelous designer, and the school was ideal to make her force in the industry. However, that would pull him from Miss Rossi, and he was so close to claiming her as an akuma that he can’t let her escape his grasp like that...</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Unless she doesn’t leave his grasp in particular.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Nathalie,” he started, looking at his assistant, “do you think Miss Dupain-Cheng could be a valuable asset to us?” </span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She only raised an eyebrow to his question. “An asset to retrieve Emile or an asset to the company?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Either.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“She would be far from an ideal ally in saving Emile, she’s shown her stance on the heroes. However, with her creativity and determination, she’s ideal as a potential heir to the company, married to Adrien or not.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">He nodded while taking Nathalie’s words into account. He couldn’t take that risk of him outing himself and the girl getting Ladybug and Chat Noir at his house by sundown. He can’t be certain that doing his crimes for his wife’s recovery would truly sway her to help him. But the thought of her brought to greatness by him is becoming appealing the more he thought of it. He pondered on the idea of the young girl heading the company as lead designer, he and his wife nearby together again, with Adrien (or an appropriate husband) by her side as she took his company to new heights with her skills...</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">An ideal Cinderella story in the making, one that would make him look like a great designer that found a diamond in the rough and polished her to perfection, perfect enough to continue his legacy.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Nathalie, write a glowing review of Miss Dupain-Cheng, and how she would flourish at the school under their care. And plan a anonymous donation to the fashion department to make sure they have the best equipment.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Of course, right on it sir.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">As Nathalie left his office, he pulled up the photo of the girl with her bowler hat next to it. He smiled as he started planning out how to get her to abandon her old classmates, making sure she has no reason to return, wondering what children she can align with at Dracaena’s, the works. He pulled up the contact information of the Dupain-Cheng bakery, saving it to call her parents to make sure they won’t hesitate to support her (and perhaps buy a baked good or two. A treat for finding a new way to build an ideal future for his family). And pulled up Rossi’s number to update her on her orders.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">No use to target his new protégé, now is it?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">There was no surprise that the school would accept the young designer in his opinion. She had potential, she had his glowing review, and she had the grades to show from it (no mention of her famous tardiness on record, however). So, when he personally read the email that his recommendation was helpful in the decision to accept the girl into the school a few days later, he smiled as the first step in his plan has succeeded.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">He called the Dupain-Chengs to inform them of the news (the letter had been delivered that morning luckily), and planned to visit the bakery that weekend to speak with their daughter personally, and see if she’s willing to accept him as her professional mentor. With his son and Rossi out of his hair with a photo-shoot that Saturday, he found himself walking into the bakery with a mission to continue with.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Now, if there’s one thing about the Dupain-Cheng’s that he took as a first impression, it was the warmth inside. Sure, it might be the ovens making it warm indoors, but this is a different warmth radiating. It was a warmth that came from family, that warmth you get from happy memories spent with love ones. Soon, he thought, he and Adrien will have Emilie back in their lives, have this warmth back in their home.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But for now his plans aren’t tied to his Super Villain persona. That can wait until tomorrow.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Oh Mr. Agreste, you’ve arrived! Marinette is in the living room upstairs, Tom can lead you and Nathalie there.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">A curt nod and he was lead by Mr. Dupain (who matches Gorilla for build, impressively enough) into the living section of the building, before seeing his tar- er, future protégé in the living room, drawing in her sketchbook. A slight cough snapped her head up, and the feelings of shock and panic went through his body before she stood up a bit too straight.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Oh, h-hello Mr. Agreste. What brings you here.?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I’ve just come to congratulate you on your acceptance to Dracaena.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Wait, how did-“</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“When the school sent me an email to ask if I would recommend you, I had no doubt that you would benefit from their guidance.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“So you’re the reason I was able to get in...”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I don’t like the think it was only me,” he started, walking towards her. “Your work has already shown an ideal potential for greatness. I only gave them more proof that you were suited for their school.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Marinette took in the information before smiling, the positive emotions definitely spreading to himself and Nathalie as she bounced on her feet.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Thank you so much Mr. Agreste. I’ll make the absolute best of it!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. However, that’s not the only reason why I’m here.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Tom stepped in, hands clapping together. “Sweetie, Mr. Agreste is actually here with an offer for you. A really good one.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“An offer?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Yes,” he said, having Nathalie hand her a small sketchbook with the Gabriel logo etched into it. “I’m offering you a chance to have me as a mentor during your time at Dracaena’s. The school allows student to have a professional mentor to assist them in hands on experience, and as the person who recommended you, I’d be honored to have you as a protégé.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">God, he can feel how thick he’s laying it on, but he has to make sure she would accept. If Bourgeois or Mode gets their hands on her, his chances will disintegrate and he’ll have to fall back on Tsurugi’s daughter for a good wife for his son, </span> <em> <span class="tm7">and</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> kiss his possible fashion heir goodbye. He sensed her father behind him (obviously gesturing to her to accept), and watched the girl look behind him, back to him, and give a gentle sigh.</span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I accept. Thank you again for this opportunity, Mr. Agreste.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“The pleasure is mine, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I’ll speak with your parents to plan a proper system with them, and once you’re settled in, I’ll plan my first visit to the school.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Yes sir.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The three adults turned to head to the kitchen table, Tom asking Sabine to let their co-worker cover them while they talk to him and Nathalie about the details and when she would have to visit the Gabriel building instead of him visiting the school.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">He didn’t have to see Marinette go up the stairs to feel the joy and... relief(?) coming off her.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“What do you mean drop Marinette!? You told me to target her!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“And all you did was drive her to another school if I’m not mistaken from your statement! A girl out of your physical grasp to terrorize useless to me!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Ah, he forgot why he made his talks with Lila few and far in between. The child was too vain, too full of herself and her abilities, too foolish to see when she’s not in control of the system, and today was no exception. She was already upset that the girl had transfered out the school, complaining that her personal target had left, but with his call of dropping her she was refusing to let it go now. Especially when there was a whole class she can offer to him on a silver platter now thanks to the news.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Unfortunately, she’s determined to keep going for her.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I can still get her, just give me a few weeks! I can still spread rumors, have her classmates send hate messages on her social, or -”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“THAT’S ENOUGH!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">His voice echoed off his lair, Nathalie not even flinching from his rage. He has no time for her childish insistence on targeting the designer, especially with his new plan in mind for the girl. He needs her to do what </span> <em> <span class="tm7">he</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> asks of her, and wasting her time with a girl that has left is taking time away from getting his wife back.</span></p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">“You will not waste my time with your childish hatred of that girl. You </span> <em> <span class="tm7">will</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> be focusing on causing akumas at your school, and </span> <em> <span class="tm7">only</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> on causing akumas.”</span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Or what? Last time I checked you valued my skill.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">“And I've done fine long before you came here</span> <span class="tm6">,” he snarled, “don't forget you're one little phone call from getting sent out this country!" He saw her face pale at his words, realizing what he's implying. "I can ruin you with no effort, and you know there's no akuma you can hope for if I do. I’ve given you an opportunity to be useful, and I can very well take it from you with no way to get back at me. Now, you </span> <em> <span class="tm7">will</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> give me more akumas, </span> <em> <span class="tm7">and</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> drop this attachment to that insignificant designer, do you understand?”<br/></span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Fine Hawkmoth, have it your way.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“It’s my way, or no way, Rossi. We’re done here.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Nathalie killed the feed on the tablet before he called his transformation off, taking deep breaths because he <em>will not</em> let this child succeed in completely pissing him off, he will not let this child think she has any power over him (even if she’s getting his blood pressure to go up). No, he will push that child to the side while he heads back upstairs, consume an eclair or two the Dupain-Cheng’s gave him in a box on the way out (all while ignoring his son had obviously took one while he left to have this useless call), and focus on getting the color pattern on the winter line the ideal tone of blues and purples that won’t look out of season.</span>
</p>
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